Winter Blast returns to Detroit with new lineup

DETROIT — It’s time for another weekend of family fun as the ninth annual Motown Winter Blast returns Feb. 8-10 to Campus Martius in downtown Detroit.

This year’s festival-goers can once again enjoy a full lineup of entertainers and music acts, tastes from local restaurants, and go snow-shoeing, ice skating and dog sledding.

In addition to these old favorites, new this year are a Hockey Shot competition, the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan’s Cookie Van and tours of the new University of Phoenix downtown location, among others.

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“The Winter Blast continues to grow each year, and we’re excited to have these new activities while still providing attendees their only chance to ice skate for free at the Campus Martius Park rink ...” said Jonathan Witz, event producer. “So many good things are happening in Detroit. This event allows us to showcase all the positive sides of our city and give families a chance to spend some quality time together.”

Hockey is back in Detroit, and so the Winter Blast is happy to announce a new partnership with the Detroit Red Wings and Olympia Entertainment that will bring fun, hockey-themed entertainment to this year’s festival.

The Red Wings will have a pair of interactive hockey games, including the Hockey Shot competition presented by Great Expressions Dental Centers, and offer a chance to win prizes.

“Through this competition, people of all ages will have a shot to win big and see their favorite Hockeytown players in action,” said Richard Beckman, chief operating officer at Great Expressions Dental Centers.

Another newcomer to the festival and the downtown area is University of Phoenix, which is offering facility tours each day at 2, 4 and 6 p.m.

Also making their debut at the festival is the Girl Scouts’ Cookie Van, a mobile cookie selling unit. Cookies will be for sale during the event, and attendees will have the chance to win Girl Scout cookies for a year.

And while free skating at the Campus Martius Park rink isn’t new, this year the first 250 people who rent skates will not have to pay the $3 rental fee, courtesy of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Blue Care Network.

This year’s Winter Blast features a diverse music lineup, spanning genres such as country, rock, indie, blues, pop, acoustic, Americana, funk and soul.

More than 45 local bands will perform on one of the three stages: the Michigan Lottery Stage, FatHead Stage and Meijer Stage.

Sponsored by the Detroit Medical Center, the Radio Disney AM 910 Road Crew will be onsite with interactive entertainment themed around the hit Disney Junior series “Doc McStuffins,” including a stuffed animal and toy check-up station where children can check their toys’ height, reflexes and heartbeat.